Centrifugal contact apparatus



1968 CLAES-WILHELM PILO 3,415,501

CENTRIFUGAL CONTACT APPARATUS Filed Dec. 27, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 0o 1''- m \r 3 g (D N N j 0 b A m Q m E:

d) 39 9 LL INVENmR ATTORNEY 1953 CLAES-WILHELM PILO 3,415,501

CENTRIFUGAL CONTACT APPARATUS Filed Dec. 27, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVEN TDR A WA WGM ATTORNEY 1968 CLAES-WILHELM PILO 3,415,501

CENTRIFUGAL CONTACT APPARATUS I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 27, 1965 ATTQRNEY United States Patent 3,415,501 CENTRIFUGAL CONTACT APPARATUS 'Claes-Wilhelm Pilo, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Svenska Rotor Maskiner Aktiebolag, Nacka, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Dec. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 516,504 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Dec. 29, 1964, 52,633/ 64 9 Claims. (Cl. 261-89) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Gas washer apparatus is provided with a substantially rigid casing structure for operation under pressure if desired and which is so constructed to provide easy access for removal of the rotating parts for replacement or cleaning with the accessible openings still being small enough to maintain the overall strength of the apparatus for high pressure use and including a rotor disposed in said casing, a rotatable carrier disposed in said casing coaxial with said rotor, a plurality of contact plates formed into groups of contact elements and carried by the carrier, a first opening coaxial with the rotor and the carrier and large enough to provide removal thereof and a second opening disposed radially of the axis of the first opening and adjacent the periphery of the carrier for insertion and removal of the groups of contact elements.

The present invention relates to fluid treating apparatus and has particular reference to apparatus for treating fluids of different densities and more specifically a liquid and a gas by direct commingling contact therebetween to effect a desired result, while the fluids are subjected to the action of centrifugal force and/or another or other forces developed as the result of pressure difference between different pressure zones, for creating and maintaining the flows of the fluids.

Still more particularly the invention relates to that class of the foregoing category of apparatus in which a rotor, revolving within a fixed casing and combined with fluid distributing and fluid contact components, is employed to distribute to and effect mingling within a contact zone of a heavier fluid the movement of which is generated substantially by centrifugal force and a lighter fluid that may also be moved essentially by centrifugal force so as to move concurrently with the heavier fluid or that may be moved in counter current relation in opposite to the centrifugal force as the result of a pressure differential between different zones between which the fluids flow.

Apparatus of the above described kind is applicable to a multitude of uses, ranging from that of washing solid impurities from gases by means of a washing liquid to the cleansing of corrosive gases by liquid reagents and the effecting of many different kinds of chemical reactions between different liquid and gaseous fluids. Such apparatus moreover has wide utility in fields wherein it is desirable to effect chemical reactions, physical absorption or desorption and/or other process effects under conditions ranging from very high positive pressures as in some distillation processes to vacuums of the highest practical order as in certain petroleum fractionating processes.

The operating conditions under which such equipment must function as for example in oil refineries, chemical plants and the like, are often most severe and the nature of the materials handled are often such that a high incidence of repair and replacement of parts is required and the assembly of the equipment into thev flow system of larger installations of which it forms a part, frequently requires complex piping and duct work that is not only very difficult but expensive to dismantle for purposes of repairing or replacing moving elements of the equipment.

Having in mind such relatively very severe and diflicult operating and maintenance conditions, it is the general object of the present invention to provide improved forms of apparatus for effecting treatment of the kinds contemplated between different fluids under widely different pressure conditions with minimum difficulties arising from leakage due to the number, form and size of joints employed in the apparatus and/or to distortion and flexure resulting from fluctuating or excessive operating pressure differentials which will permit of ready assembly and disassembly of moving components of the apparatus within fixed casing and duct work components thereof from the exterior of the latter component, whereby to enable such moving components to be readily installed and removed for servicing or replacement without materially disturbing the fixed components and with such installation and removal being capable of being effected through relatively small and conveniently located ports or openings in casing structures most advantageously formed and constructed for operation as pressure vessels. It is a further general object to provide such improved apparatus through the utilization in novel relationship of known forms of structural components resulting in the maximum of simplicity and minimum cost for the results obtained.

To effect the above general objects and other and more detailed objects hereinafter appearing as this specification proceeds, the invention in its broader aspects contemplates the provision of a casing, in which is mounted a rotor carrying contact elements located within an annular zone inside of which is provided a liquid distributing device adapted to eject liquid radially outwardly, said casing being provided with connections for conduits for supplying liquid to said liquid distributing device and for discharging liquid from the casing and connections for supply and discharge conduits for gas, the apparatus being characterized in that the rotor comprises a rotatably mounted carrier element to which the contact elements are detachably secured while protruding radially outside the periphery of the carrier element, and that the casing is provided with .a first opening coaxial with the rotor axis and having a width greater than the diameter of said carrier element but smaller than the total diameter of the rotor, and with a second opening located and dimensioned such as to permit insertion and removal of contact elements therethrough in mounted position of the carrier element.

The invention will now be described more in detail with reference to a centrifugal contact apparatus according to the invention shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, partly in section, and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side view of a modified form of the invention.

The apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a casing composed of two dished plates 1 and 2 for instance of the type used as end walls in cylindrical high pressure vessels. These two plates 1 and 2 are welded together along the edges of their axially. directed rim portions 3 to form an indivisible unit.

In the upper plate 1 there is a circular central opening to the edges of which is secured a cylindrical neck member 4. The upper end of this neck member 4 is covered by a detachable cover 5 secured to the neck member by means of bolts 6.

The cover 5 carries a central vertical shaft .7 which projects downwardly into the casing 1, 2. To the lower end of said shaft is secured a liquid distributing or spray- 3 ing device 8 for instance substantially of the type described in US. Patent 3,034,730.

The lower plate 2 carries a central vertical shaft 9 which projects upwardly into the casing 1, 2 and is coaxial with the shaft 7. To the upper end of the shaft 9 is secured a carrier element in the form of a disk 10 and a polygonal annular frame 11 surrounding the spraying device 8. The diameter of this carrier element 10, 11 is less than the inner diameter of the neck member 4.

The frame 11 is provided with a plurality of evenly spaced rectangular openings to which are bolted the ends of radially extending parallelepipedical tubular baskets 12 each containing a package of contact elements in the form of vertical radial plates 13. The contact plates 13 protrude inside the frame 11 and their radially inner edges define a surface of rotation coaxial with the spraying device 8.

As shown in FIG. 2 the casing 1, 2 is provided with an opening 14 located at substantially the same level as the baskets 12 and covered by a detachable cover 15. This opening 14 permits insertion and removal of ,the baskets 12 without dismantling the apparatus. Also the fastening bolts 16 for the baskets are accessible through the opening 14.

Between the rotatable carrier element 10, 11 and a horizontal partition or flange 25 at the lower edge of the neck member 4 is provided an annular seal, in FIG. 1 shown as a liquid trap or baffle 17.

The apparatus is provided with two gas inlets 18 and two gas outlets 19, two liquid inlets 20 and two liquid outlets 21, each of these last-mentioned outlets 21 surrounding one gas inlet 18.

Numeral 22 indicates pulleys for driving shafts 7 and 9 for instance by means of separate electric motors.

The liquid supplied through the liquid inlets 20 flows downwardly and is caught by the rotating spraying device 8 which throws it outwardly into the baskets 12 mounted on the rotating carrier element 10, 11. After having passed through the spaces between the contact plates 13 under the action of the centrifugal force the liquid is collected at the bottom of the casing 1, 2 from where it is drained ofi through the liquid outlets 21 and for instance recirculated by a pump not shown.

The gas supplied through the gas inlets 18 enters the outer ends of the baskets 12 and flows radially inwardly in counter-current to the liquid. At the inner ends of the baskets the gas flow is deflected upwardly and is discharged through the gas outlets 19. The liquid trap 17 prevents passage of gas directly from inlet to outlet.

During its passage through the baskets 12 the liquid has a tendency to move downwardly under the action of gravity. Therefore, in order to maintain the even distribution of the liquid over the entire height of the contact plates 13 the upper and lower edges of these plates slope somewhat downwardly in radially outward direction.

The casing 1, 2 is made as a pressure vessel and therefore the apparatus can be used for processes requiring high positive pressures as well as for processes requiring high vacuums. Further, the rigid construction renders it possible to use the casing as supporting structure for the rotating parts of the apparatus thereby obviating a separate outer frame work or the like for the bearings. The casing may be provided with feet, flanges or the like for connection with a base.

Thanks to the fact that the baskets 12 can be mounted on the carrier element 10, 11 by insertion through the opening 14 the opening defined by the neck member 4 need not be wider than to permit passage of the carrier element which is favourable with regard to strength.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 3 has only one gas inlet 18, one gas outlet 19, one liquid inlet 20 and one liquid outlet 21. The two dished plates are not directly secured to each other but turn their convex sides towards each other and are separated by a barrel wall 24. The plate 1 is provided with a central opening covered by a cover 4 which carries the bearing structure 23 for the shaft 7 and the connection or inlet 20 for the liquid. The gas inlet 18, the gas outlet 19, the liquid outlet 21 and the access opening 14 are provided on the barrel wall 24 to which the plates 1, 2 are welded. The bearing structure 23 for the shaft 9 is carried by the lower plate 2.

Above the rotating system there is provided a horizontal partition 25 having a central opening. A liquid trap or other seal (not shown) is provided between this partition and the rotating carrier element.

In this embodiment the plates 1 and 2 are fully symmetrical and therefore the stresses are evenly distributed which is favourable with respect to strength. Further, they may relatively easily be calculated.

In the embodiments shown the contact elements consist of plates which are arranged in groups such that in each group the plates are parallel and the middle plane of each group passes through the axis of rotation. However, it is also possible to use separate plates and secure them individually to the carrier element evenly distributed round the axis. Further, the plates need not be plane but formed such that they are curved when seen in a plane transverse to the axis.

As the diameter of the liquid conduits is only a fraction of that of the gas conduits the connections for the liquid conduits may, for instance in small apparatus, be very simple. Therefore, in such cases it will not cause much trouble to disconnect a liquid conduit if the apparatus for some reason is made such that this is necessary in order to remove a cover or other casing part for repairing the rotor.

On the other hand, in dependence upon the dimensions and location of the apparatus, the gas pressure and other factors it may sometimes be relatively easy to disconnect also at least one of the gas conduits in which case a special access opening can be dispensed with and the connection for this conduit utilized for the same purpose. Thus, for instance, in the embodiment according to FIG. 3 the baskets are accessible through the gas inlet connection 18 when the corresponding gas supply conduit is removed.

What I claim is:

1. A centrifugal contact apparatus for causing intimate contact between a gas and a liquid comprising a casing, in which is mounted a rotor carrying contact elements located within an annular zone inside of which is pro vided a liquid distributing device adapted to eject liquid radially outwardly, said casing being provided with connections for conduits for supplying liquid to said liquid distributing device and for discharging liquid from the casing and connections for supply and discharge conduits for gas, characterized in that the rotor comprises a rotatably mounted carrier element to which the contact elements are detachably secured While protruding radially outside the periphery of the carrier element, and that the casing is provided with a first opening coaxial with the rotor axis and having a width greater than the diameter of said carrier element but smaller than the total diameter of the rotor, and with a second opening located and dimensioned such as to permit insertion and removal of contact elements therethrough in mounted position of the carrier element.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the axis of rotation is vertical and the contact elements consist of plates having upper and lower edges sloping downwardly in radially outward direction.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second opening is defined by one of said gas conduit connections.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the casing forms the supporting structure for the rotating parts of the apparatus.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second opening is located radially outside the rotor.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said contact elements are arranged in groups, each group forming a unit insertable and removable through said second opening.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said contact elements consist of plates which are substantially parallel with the axis of rotation and curved when seen in a plane transverse to said axis.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said contact elements consist of plates located in planes substantially parallel With the axis of rotation and extending 1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

